Bridgton Veterinary Hospital

10/30/2026

Our day ended with this beautiful Leonberger puppy! Welcome to BVH, Bear of the Pines.

10/30/2026

Happy Halloween a day early from Bridgton Vet. Please remember to keep those Halloween treats up and away from where a pet can reach them!

https://www.petmd.com/dog/chocolate-toxicity

10/29/2026

On this National Cat Day we share a bit of fun news with you all. After making friends with multiple makeover cats and then having to say goodbye to them. We have decided to give Petrie a permanent housemate.

Everyone meet Corey! He came from Harvest Hills Animal Shelter for makeover camp, but he quickly charmed Dr Gerardi and now he’s a clinic cat. Corey had ear surgery that has caused a permanent head tilt. We love it.

10/28/2026

This is Happy! This sweet beagle mix just celebrated a pretty significant birthday this week. Would anyone like to guess how old she is?

10/25/2026

Does anyone know, what dog food was used in this “Lifetime Study”?

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗟𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗸 𝗦𝘁𝘂𝗱𝘆 𝗧𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗱 𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝗪𝗲 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸 𝗔𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗖𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗟𝗼𝗻𝗴𝗲𝘃𝗶𝘁𝘆

This study followed 48 Labrador Retrievers throughout their lives, and its findings helped establish a lasting connection between nutritional management, healthy body weight, and longevity in dogs.

Here’s what the research found:

𝗟𝗼𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗿 𝗹𝗶𝗳𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗮𝗻: Dogs fed 25% less food than their pair-matched controls had a median lifespan of 13.0 years, compared with 11.2 years in control-fed dogs—a difference of 1.8 years.

𝗗𝗲𝗹𝗮𝘆𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗲𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗰𝗵𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗶𝗰 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲: Food-restricted dogs developed age-related chronic diseases later in life, with osteoarthritis among the particularly notable conditions.

𝗕𝗼𝗱𝘆 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗺𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀: The study linked greater fat mass and declining lean body mass with mortality, highlighting the importance of maintaining a healthy body composition.

𝗟𝗼𝗻𝗴-𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗺 𝗻𝘂𝘁𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗺𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀: The dogs followed their respective feeding regimens from puppyhood, emphasizing the potential importance of nutritional management throughout life.

Although initially published in 2002, this is still as important today.

Because healthy weight management is more than an aesthetic goal. It is an important component of preventive veterinary care, with potential implications for both lifespan and healthy ageing.

For veterinary teams, this research reinforces the value of regularly assessing body condition, individualizing feeding recommendations, and discussing nutrition with pet owners before excess weight becomes a problem.

Subscribe to VetEd to help us access more veterinary journals.

Kealy RD, et al. Effects of diet restriction on life span and age-related changes in dogs. JAVMA. 2002;220(9):1315–1320.

Lawler DF, et al. Diet restriction and ageing in the dog: major observations over two decades. British Journal of Nutrition. 2008;99:793–805.

10/23/2026

We have exciting news to share with our community!

Dr. Gerardi has officially purchased Bridgton Veterinary Hospital from Dr. Wheeler. Owning a practice has been her lifelong dream, and Bridgton has always felt like where she belonged. We're excited to begin this next chapter and carry on the tradition of privately owned veterinary care here at BVH.

The team would also like to extend a heartfelt thank you to Dr. Wheeler for nearly four decades of dedication to the pets and families of Oxford Hills and the entire Lakes Region.

The best part? He's not ready to retire! Dr. Wheeler will continue practicing here at BVH, so you'll continue receiving excellent care from the familiar faces that you’re used to. We are excited for this next part of the journey for the veterinary hospital, and are so grateful to be part of the Bridgton community!

10/21/2026

The many sides of kitten visits! 😁

10/21/2026

Happy Vet Tech Week Emma! Thank you for all you do for BVH.

10/20/2026

Liscenced Veterinary Technicians complete a 2-4 year degree in Veterinary Technology, this includes two externships, and sit for a state board exam.

We have two LVT’s here at Bridgton Veterinary Hospital. Emma leads our dental department and Erica leads our surgical department.

Dr Wheeler and Dr Gerardi depend on them both to keep things running smoothly.

Happy Vet Tech Week!

10/20/2026

We had our first Halloween costume come in today.
Check out Chef Dixie!